Masons, motors, and sunshine have friendships firing all cylinders

Freemasons and their friends brought a fleet of cars and motorcycles to Masons & Motors to showcase the social side of Freemasonry at an event with one of its highest attendances yet.

And by having a good time the hundreds who attended were able to raise at least £1,000 to share between the Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance and the Lincolnshire Emergency Blood Bikers.

The ground-level buzz of conversation on the field at Doddington Hall near Lincoln was topped off with a flypast by the Dakota from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, which made three low-level passes over the serried ranks of cars.

The event has been the brainchild of Dave Gibson, who has led its growth over a number of years. Now he’s handing it on to Freemasons of the Open Road Lodge. He said: “I’ve enjoyed putting the event together and delivering it for the benefit of everyone in our Masonic Province and beyond.

”It’s grown from humble beginnings to what it now is; too much for one person to handle, and I’m really pleased that the Open Road Lodge have taken it on to move it forward to the next level.”

Dave’s still going to be involved, having been persuaded to join the Open Road Lodge. “Now it’s a team effort,” he added. “I’ll still be around to offer advice when necessary, and I’ll look forward to organising the flypast each year.”

Lincolnshire Freemasons’ PR man Stuart Pearcey said: “This event not only brings together people with similar interests, but also it’s an opportunity for families and friends to get involved in a relaxed atmosphere. What’s more, it allows people to meet Freemasons, helping those outside the organisation to understand a little more about what we do and why we do it. From broadening our own circles of friends to supporting charities and good causes with hard cash and volunteer work, we’re able to improve lives and support communities.

“We believe Freemasonry has much to commend it on a personal and community level.”

These pictures give a flavour of the day. They were taken by Chris Hodges, Ralf Galloway, Rodney Redhead, Stewart Buckingham, and Stuart Pearcey.

And if you think becoming a Freemason could be for you, explore the possibilities by clicking this link. There are groups for men and women, which work in harmony with each other.